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Date: 5/9/2023
BELCHERTOWN — The Select Board appointed DPW Director Steve Williams as its next town administrator at its May 1 meeting.
For the last few months, the Select Board has worked with Community Paradigm Associates to help with the process of replacing current Town Administrator Gary Brougham who is set to retire in June after his contract expires.
In December 2022, the town moderator assembled a five person Town Administrator Search Committee who worked with Community Paradigm Associates Senior Associate John Petrin in reviewing applications, conducting interviews and presenting the Select Board with finalists.
The committee received 20 applications and screened six applicants before they presented three finalists to the Select Board.
Wellesley Human Resources Director Scott Szczebak, Greenfield Housing Authority Executive Director Thomas Guerino and Whately Town Administrator Brian Domina were the three finalists who were interviewed by the Select Board on April 25.
After the interviews, the Select Board decided they would wait until its May 1 meeting to discuss the candidates further before making its decision.
On May 1, Select Board member Ron Aponte kicked off the conversation by going over the the pros and cons of each candidate and added that even though all three were qualified and good, “there wasn’t that quote, unquote perfect candidate.”
Aponte then mentioned the idea of naming Williams as the next town administrator.
“This is the most important appointment a board could make,” Aponte said, “Then I had an epiphany. There is a fourth candidate or a stealth candidate if you will. He has the experience, he has the skillset, proven leadership, exceptional work ethic, knows the town like the back of his hands and without a doubt could hit the ground running.”
After continuing to describe this mystery candidate, Aponte added, “If you haven’t guessed who my stealth candidate is, its our own DPW Director Steve Williams.”
Williams confirmed that he submitted a resume and application to the search committee but never was selected to be screened or interviewed.
The Select Board was hesitant to discuss or appoint Williams due to the long process they and the search committee went through to find candidates.
Select Board member Jen Turner said, “I am just struggling with the time, the effort, the money like all of the things that we and the moderator put together who did their due diligence.”
Aponte read the bylaw to confirm that the Select Board didn’t have to appoint one of the three finalists.
He read, “Whenever the [town administrator] office becomes vacant, the moderator shall appoint a five member search committee to seek out and review candidates for this position and make a recommendation to the Select Board. The board will make the final decision and appoint an individual to fill this position.”
Aponte added, “But nowhere in there does it say the Select Board shall appoint from the recommended list.”
The Select Board continued to discuss the other three candidates they interviewed but expressed that even though all three were good, they did not see a standout candidate.
They also were not ready to appoint Williams even though they said that he was a perfect candidate with a substantial amount of experience and a great reputation in town.
The Select Board decided to host an interview with Williams who happened to be present at the meeting.
Williams said, “I have been with the town for 30 years. 25 of which is as a department head. I have managed a department that is probably bigger than a lot of small towns. Bunch of employees, $6 million budget, capital projects, huge inventories. I think my institutional knowledge of Belchertown is probably second to none.”
Belchertown has also been going through the process of eventually transitioning the town administrator position to a town manager.
This would include adding more responsibilities to the position.
Some responsibilities they want to add to the town administrator are appointment powers, personnel powers, budget making authority and the responsibility to do collective bargaining.
Williams added, “You all know I have been preparing budgets since fiscal year 1999 and have been working on budgets ever since. Our economy has had our ups and downs over the last 25 years and I have always worked with various Select Boards as well as committees to address them. We have never missed the mark.”
Williams added that his goal is always to serve Belchertown whether he was the DPW director or appointed the next town administrator.
He would also like to continue to work on the economic development and structural deficit the town faces.
Select Board member Ed Boscher said Belchertown is facing a $1.8 million structural deficit and asked if Williams was ready for the challenge.
“I think Belchertown is facing a lot of challenges, but I have never turned my back to a challenge. I think we are looking at a lot of transition right now. I think the amount of free cash we had this year made things easier. If I was forced to because the money simply wasn’t there, then that is a job I simply need to do. I would be comfortable in that role to make a plan to chip away at the structural deficit.” Williams added.
After almost an hour of deliberation, the Select Board unanimously voted to appoint Williams as the next town administrator.
Williams said, “I would like to thank the people who have continually supported me. People know this was unexpected so thank you.”
Select Board Chair Jim Barry said that Aponte, Boscher and Brougham will meet with Williams to discuss his contract and start date.
When asked by Reminder Publishing, a representative of the Attorney General’s Office said while the situation was unique, the board’s actions appeared to be in compliance with the state’s Open Meeting Law.